Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 2.4
Growth in adult U.S. internet users, 1995-2010
On-line (%)
Growth in percentage
2010
1995
Age
18-29
88
21
67
30-49
87
18
69
50-64
78
9
71
65+
42
2
40
Total
77
14
63
Sex
Men
78
18
60
Women
77
10
67
Race/Ethnicity
White
78
21
57
Black
66
11
55
Latino/Hispanic
84
14
72
Education
\High school
47
2
45
High school graduate
67
8
59
Some college
89
20
69
College graduate
94
29
65
Household income
\$30,000
56
8
48
$30,000-$49,000
82
15
67
$50,000-$75,000
93
23
70
[$75,000
95
32
63
Source
and
particularly women. Likewise, the Latino population is far from heterogeneous, and
significant discrepancies in internet access and usage remain among various sub-
groups; usage rates tend to be much higher among bilingual Latinos than those who
speak only Spanish. Indeed, among English-dominant Latinos, internet usage rates
are identical to Whites. Generally, Mexican-Americans and those with origins in
Central or South America had lower rates of access than do Cuban-Americans or
Puerto Ricans. In short, while racial or ethnic discrepancies in internet access and
usage remain, all groups have experienced significant growth in uses and the relative
differences between them have declined.
Persistently underlying the digital divide in the United States are vast socio-
economic differences, particularly education and household income, which
effectively serve as markers of class. Although populations at all of four broad
educational levels (less than high school, high school graduate, some college,
college graduate) exhibited gains in internet access, profound differences remain.
Among college-educated Americans, internet usage is almost universal (91 %);
those with a high school education or less are users witnessed a growth from
